


Connie, Lapis, and Peridot: The Guardians of Earth

by weirdoughnut



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Can The Title Get Any Worse, Implied Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe, Implied Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe), Pumpkin (Steven Universe) - Freeform, Steven Universe spoilers, Stevenbomb 5.0, but her name's veggiehead here, but like theyre not dating, i'm sorry i suck at tags, jeez ill tag, just in case i'm too oblivious to see what i'm writing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-17 04:05:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9303392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weirdoughnut/pseuds/weirdoughnut
Summary: If you've not seen the latest Stevenbomb (Stevenbomb 5), I don't suggest reading this as it spoils at least the first episode of said bomb.If Peridot is tall, don't read this, either. Along with that, if Lapis Lazuli is still pulling a Sebastian and is still unda da sea, well, you've got the gist of it.---"Lapis, Peridot, stay here. You'll have to protect Beach City if something happens while we're gone.""Just... protect Beach City for me while we're gone."And none of the three were about to let them down.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i'm rotting but in a good way i guess  
> i'm sorry the summary is trash i haven't written an actual story with actual conflict in so long this is gonna be a journey  
> This first chapter has been edited 1000 times, but I'm me so I'm sure to have messed something up. Don't be scared to point out a mistake!  
> Without further ado, I present to you: [insert the really long n cheesy title]!

“Mom, dad, I'll be fine! I promise.” Connie shouldered on her duffel bag and backpack as she hopped out of the car. Pebbles rolled under her feet as she landed, a few rolling into a crack in the pavement.

Her parents shared a concerned look.

“Connie, I know I promised to trust you-” Mrs. Maheswaran started.

Connie nodded and smiled reassuringly. “Yeah, and I know it's hard not to worry about me, but the hospital needs you. And dad-” she regarded the man at the wheel, “-the force needs you, too. Right now?” The girl straightened confidently, one hand on Rose’s - _her_ \- sword. Her voice powered with determination, Connie concluded, “My friends need _me_.”

Priyanka let out a breath, studying her daughter. She fixed the cuffs of her sleeves anxiously.

“But… all alone?” Her father leaned forward as he spoke to make eye contact easier.

Connie searched her eyes past the calm streets and the few passersby to the empty beach and a grassy slope. Behind that hill was the temple of the Crystal Gems and the home of Steven Universe. Farther off would be a barn, home of two gems she had yet to meet.

The girl turned to her parents, her expression courageous. “I can do it. You _have_ to trust me. Please.” She pleaded, though it was clear her mind was made.

After a good fifteen seconds of quiet, her parents gave in. They had a low conversation they thought Connie couldn't hear (though their words were pretty distinct), Mr. and Mrs. Maheswaran let their child go.

With two first-aid kits and a mobile defibrillator. Eh, she took what she could get.

Before her parents could change their minds, Connie made off with a cheerful “goodbye” and a wave. As always, they wished her good luck and told her to stay safe.

“And keep your ringer volume up!” Mrs. Maheswaran called from the vehicle.

Connie snickered, “I will!” before starting off towards the sand. The Maheswaran parents waited for their daughter’s braided hair to disappear from view before reluctantly driving back to their respective workplaces.

☆★☆

“Off they go,” Peridot said, weakly reaching up to the Roaming Eye in the distance. “Headed to Homeworld… They might even…” She drew her hand back and held it to her chest as her voice cracked. “See the diamonds…”

“Yeah,” Lapis mumbled. As she looked back at Peridot, she could tell the green gem couldn't help but wish she could join the four. Lapis, on the other hand, felt conflicted. Homeworld was her home - keyword: _was_ \- and, though it was their fault she was put in the mirror, nostalgia and longing weren't something she could get rid of very easily.

“Hey.” Peridot finally stopped staring at the sky and noticed her barnmate. She put a hand on Lapis’s arm reassuringly. “Homeworld's a fairly moderate place, but they've lost a _very_ important asset: me!”

Lapis chuckled, giving Peridot a sidelong look.

“Now that I'm gone, Homeworld lacks quite possibly- no, _without a doubt_ the most ingenious and overall the _greatest_ peridot ever manufactured!” She laughed. “5XP was the closest contender to 5XG which, by the way, _wasn't_ very close.” Peridot scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Clod.”

The blue gem snorted. “Let's leave your past competition rant for another day. Right now, we should protect the home we have.”

Peridot stood tall - as tall as she could, at least - and nodded. One arm was down on her side, the other hand raised above her eyes. “Right!”

“Hah, hah,” Lapis said, her tone an impossible mix of sarcasm, humour and apathy. “At ease, soldier.”

The small gem shook her head, two palms facing Lapis. “No, no. It's the salute they use in ‘Camp Pining Hearts’! In both the opening theme and the printed meep morp?”

Lapis smiled and blew out a huff of air, wings at the ready. “Come on, let's check the temple.”

“Ah!” Peridot turned to the barn and yelled, “Veggie! Watch the barn while we’re gone! Peridot and Lapis are counting on ya!”

“Race you,” the blue gem challenged nonchalantly, taking off.

“Wh- hey! This is hardly a legitimate race!” Peridot scrambled across the plains far behind Lapis, screaming after her companion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie secures the coast of any threats and comes across an unidentified being, causing her to rethink her confidence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thanks to those who left kudos and comments in the first chapter! It was really uplifting to wake up/come home to such happy notifications!

Connie speed walked through the sand, taking deep breaths.

“You've got this Connie. They're counting on you; Beach City, the Crystal Gems…” She swallowed her unease, pausing to take in the ocean view. “ _Steven_ is counting on you.”

The girl felt sand under her feet, some of the grains sneaking into her shoes. She could smell that fresh Beach City ocean scent that had once gone unnoticed. Looking to her left, she recalled the spot Steven first introduced himself to her.

 _If you can call that an introduction,_ Connie joked internally, laughing to herself.

She went through the doorframe and placed her bags down on the couch. It felt weird, being inside the house without anyone else. The television off, no one in the kitchen, the sofa without a mere indent showing that someone recently sat here. It was relieving not to see any dust or cobwebs, really.

Quickly, Connie stuffed the defibrillator into her duffel bag and stored her backpack and her sheath at the foot of Steven’s bed. She decided that the contents of the backpack weren’t important enough to bring to the barn. She wasn’t afraid to admit that the defibrillator was for reassurance.

The sword hefted over her shoulder and the bag slung on her arm, Connie jogged out of the house and up the hill. She passed by a teenager going through his phone and mumbling something about "sneeples" - Ronaldo? She tried to be polite and say hi, but he practically walked through her.  
Connie shrugged. _Guess the sword isn’t anything out of the ordinary_ , she noticed, continuing on.

The scene on the edge of the cliff was still breathtaking - waves rolling over the sand and one another, a boat or two in the distance and the sun making the water appear even clearer - but, there was no time for sightseeing. She had a job to do.  
After calling into the lighthouse three times and receiving no reply, Connie let herself in. Strolling into empty buildings usually were something out of horror movies so Connie was careful. She was taught that she shouldn’t believe what she sees on T.V, but, well, that didn’t really apply to her life anymore.

She grabbed a flashlight from her duffle bag and went down cold steps to the basement. One side of the wall was roughly patched with nailed down wood, several planks splintered and cracked. There was a ripped and faded poster to the far right of her. On the opposite sides were used glow sticks littering the ground.

“Hello?” Her voice rang through the room. No response.

Not wanting to spend more time in such a creepy underground place, Connie hiked up the stairs and was happy she chose to wear her training clothes beforehand. It made moving easier and gave her something she could be familiar with. Inside the top floor was rather… “distinct”. There were evidence boards, papers scattered, cameras and weird gadgets all over the top floor. She guessed this is where Ronaldo made his conspiracies.

To be completely honest, she expected there to be black cloths draped over the windows of the lighthouse, no matter how illegal that would probably be.

“Nothing here, I guess,” she stated once she circled the room. Of course, that was the exact moment something _did_ happen.

Outside, a figure _whooshed_ past in the sky. Before she could properly make it out, water hit the glass. Connie took a step back in alarm.

 _“What_?” She nearly fell down the stairs as she ran through and bursted out of the building. She scanned her surroundings with haste, flashlight returned in the bag and sword at the ready. Breathing heavily, Connie studied the site below the cliffside but the “UFO” - for a lack of a better name to call it - still wasn’t able to be seen. No one in Beach City had reacted to what she saw and, to save time, she crossed that option out.

Did she just imagine whatever that was? Her money was on “no”.

Connie sped to the bottom of the grassy hill, the momentum causing her hair and clothes to flap violently in the wind. She nearly crashed into a small, pale boy dragging a half-empty sack behind him. She didn’t question it and hurried to the temple’s front. She searched everywhere she could look, even in Steven’s room (she went red upon seeing the photo of her behind his bed) and under the house. She double-checked and even triple-checked, just to make sure.

Nothing.

Connie sighed and plopped down on the bottom of the stairs, dropping her bag and sword. What if she couldn’t protect Beach City after all? She let the Crystal Gems down, and she hadn’t even been around for longer than an hour.

 _No, don’t think that,_ Connie told herself. _There’s a reason why he trusted you._

Nodding to herself, Connie took a moment to silence her negativity and remember what Garnet had taught her.

 _It's okay. It was just a thought, it can't harm you from here._ She wiped her palms on her Kalaripayattu uniform, concentrating on her breathing. She stood and grabbed her blade and duffel bag.

“If I can’t find whatever that was right now, I’ll be useful and make sure the barn is safe."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lapis and Peridot encounter a stranger, the former considering an attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i keep losing at beach city volleyball  
> its ok cos the other team is happy  
> im determined to unlock jasper tho YEET  
> \---  
> Thanks to those who continue to read! It makes me really happy to see people who share the same interests as I do!  
> Enjoy chapter three!

_Who is that?_ Lapis flew overhead, weaving in and out of hiding, mostly using the carved cliffside. The clear skies for once had a downside. _What is she doing?_

A dark-skinned girl with braided hair arrived on the beach, hunting around the temple and Steven’s house. She carried a large pink sword and a gray bag in a long, circular shape.

Naturally, the gem was untrusting of her.

Lapis rested on top of the stone woman’s head and surveyed the stranger. She didn't wear the clothes most humans seemed to put on.

“Huh…” The gem considered taking the human on herself. With the entire ocean readily available, Lapis would probably win.

Decision made, she circled around and hid behind the corner. As she peeked, though, she saw half of the girl’s face. Lapis not only felt déjà vu, a feeling she shrugged off easily, but also noticed the rose decoration on her sword. And Lapis, of all gems, should know that morps were there to represent something, no matter how small that something may be.

Before the girl left, Lapis flew in the direction she came from, using mainly her ear to pinpoint Peridot. She guessed that her barnmate would still be yelling and she wasn't wrong.

“Get away from me, you muddy, ruddy fusion experiment!”

She should really think twice before leaving Peridot alone.

The scene was set in a large area of trees. On the open side of the forestry was a tranquil river with a few rocks jutting out. It would have been a relaxing place if not for the assault beneath Lapis.

With what looked like five arms, four legs and a rotten colour palette, a disproportionate gem towered over Peridot, fused shards gleaming. The small green gem held a branch almost as tall as her, vibrant green leaves still attached from one end. She waved them around as she turned her head away, a hint of panic breaking into her expression.

“Step back! As the leader of the Crystal Gems and the underappreciated protector of this body of rock, I order you t- _wah!_ ” Lapis swooped down and grabbed the self-proclaimed authority figure under her arms, making Peridot drop the stick. Tilting upwards to avoid going headfirst into a tree, Lapis made a U-turn towards the beach.

The green gem kicked and flailed around aggressively, (accidentally) nailing the shard fusion near its center.

“A _ha!_ ” Peridot exclaimed. The mutant bent over backwards and let out a crazed, garbled screech.

“ _Eek!_ ” The green gem squeaked. She brought her knees as close to her chest as she could without her hands.

The cluster fusion turned around and stumbled away, crushing bushes and small plants in their way.

“You really need to stop talking and start fighting around your enemies,” Lapis chided teasingly.

Finally, it crossed Peridot’s mind to peer up at who held her. She bore a shocked and embarrassed expression as she let her feet down. “But you went ahead!”

“Sorry, it looked like you needed a lift,” Lapis said with a smirk. “I can drop you off here if you want.”

“No, no, no, no, no, _no!_ ” Peridot begged as the flying gem loosened her grip. “ _Aack!_ ”

Lapis tossed Peridot up in the air and caught her in the same position, just with a steadier hold. “Okay.”

“Wow-thanks for saving me!” Peridot responded, slowly swinging her feet back and forth. It seemed she liked the ride.

Lapis snorted. “No problem, Leader of the Crystal Gems.”

Peridot let out a huff. “At least _someone_ addresses me formally.” Lapis couldn't tell if Peridot was joking.

“Was that one of the mutants you talked about?” Lapis asked.

Peridot nodded. “Yes. I’m half impressed any of them lasted this long, but it does seem like they have an extra hand or two to help them! Bwahaha!”

Lapis rolled her eyes. “Anyway, we have to check on Steven’s house,” the blue gem set out with an urgent tone.

“What? Why? Did a corruption attack?” Peridot gasped. “Did you find leaked Camp Pining Hearts episodes? I specifically told him not to watch them without me!”

“No, even worse.” Lapis quietly landed on the remaining hand of the giant stone statue and placed Peridot down. Lapis put a slender finger her mouth, then pointed below the edge.

Peridot went flat on her stomach, crawling to peek out from the top of the rock. Lapis leaned on a stone finger and peered over the side, not bothering to lie low. Under them, a female human was still investigating the house.

“What is she doing?” Peridot whispered, narrowing her eyes at the girl.

Lapis crouched beside her. “I don’t know,” she replied, voice quiet. “But for some reason, I think I’ve seen her before…” Peridot gave her a questioning look but Lapis only shrugged. The green gem pushed the corner of her mouth back as she thought, but it didn’t look like she could think of anything, either.

The two exchanged soundless words, silently agreeing to find out what was going on. What if she knew who the Crystal Gems are?

The stranger plopped down on the stairs, her head in her hands. Lapis became even more curious; Peridot held her breath.

“Lapis,” Peridot murmured, “her bag.”

The blue gem eyed it. “Yeah?”

“It’s nearly identical to the one in Camp Pining Hearts when a major thievery and assault took place during epi-”

“No spoilers!” Lapis hissed. “You’re still ahead of me, you know.”

“Oh,” Peridot remembered. “I'm sorry. But, we should be cautious around her.”

“Okay.”

As Lapis observed the girl again, she realized that she was talking. The only part that Lapis caught was, “make sure the barn is safe.” The phrase alone was alarming, to say the least.

Almost immediately, the two gems made eye contact. With her actions, assumed knowledge, the sword and suspicious bag, it was a fair bet that the girl was speaking about _their_ barn.

Peridot nodded at Lapis. The blue gem understood, carrying Peridot up and out of the scene, far ahead of the girl’s path.

As soon as they reached home, the plotting began.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie makes her way to the barn, though the journey didn't exactly go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys don't mind such short chapters >~<  
> I'd like to apologise for how thin the last chapter was! D: I'll try not to make the rest of these chapters so void of flavour! Along with that, my updates will slow down from here, though I'll do my best to post something once a week at the very least!  
> If you know anybody who'd enjoy this fanfic, by all means, share! If there're any misspellings, incorrect grammar, or anything at all confusing, feel free to notify me!  
> Enjoy! :D

Connie stayed alert for any unidentified gems or predatory wildlife. These fields were less familiar than Beach City, only going down this path once before. Still, the knight chose to be in cover near the road Mr. Universe used rather than strolling right on it. She was proud to say that she only a few leaves rustled as she stalked past. Things were going well.

And then, of course, an inconvenience unveiled.

“A closed road?” Connie complained. “But this is the countryside!” In front of her, a chunk of the route Mr. Universe used was cut off, the blockade delving through the woods and, along with that, her cover.

A neon sign read, “ROAD CLOSED. DEFORESTATION IN PROGRESS. DO NOT ENTER.”

_ What timing…  _ Connie thought.

She scanned her surroundings and spotted a fallen tree cutting across the river. It stopped short of the opposite run of land, however, there were plenty of rocks she could use to hop the rest of the way.

Fingers crossed.

The girl looked both ways out of habit and darted across the dirt road. The waters were relatively slow and eased, the rocks spread out and not too sharp. It made this stunt less dangerous. The log, on the other hand, wasn't as giving.

As Connie neared, she saw that it was a miracle it held on. It was worn and rotted, small bits riding along with the current. She knocked on it, weary of what might happen. Upsettingly, it let in.

She groaned as a crack crawled through the wood and made its way to the middle. The rotted material splintered, enough pieces falling off so that the long barely kept on. The parts lost swam down with the force of the river, disappearing around the bend.`

“Great,” Connie sighed. About a third of the log was actually left. Giving up on it, she went back into the woods to find a long, sturdy stick. It took her a few minutes, but she found a branch that was half a head shorter than her. It seemed freshly snapped off of a tree, healthy leaves sprouting from a bump on the end.

She was cautious to see if any wildlife took this branch from a tree purposefully, though not even the squashed vegetation proved anything. She’ll just have to move fast in case she just stole an animal’s property.

Back at the river, Connie poked the thinner end into the water. Not  _ too _ deep, she could probably walk it. She pulled the stick out and set her items down on the dry ground.

“Now, the sword I'll strap- oh.” She mentally scolded herself for leaving the scabbard behind. “That's fine. This is why the duffle bag has a hard shell.” The knight slipped her blade into her bag, zipping it up as far as she could. “Tighten the straps… and I'm good!”

The top of her bag reached her waist instead of her hips now, even with the sword. Her work proved to come in handy when the water reached up to just above her thighs.

Connie shoved the stick into the muddy ground as she pushed along. The current was a lot stronger than it seemed. She inched forward, keeping two points of pressure down at all times.

As Connie was five feet away from the opposite side, something in the woods let out a loud, muffled wail. Birds fled and ground animals scattered. She hurried to land.

She wasn't fast enough.

A horrifying sight tromped out of the woods. Connie recognised them as gem experiments. Not quite the ones she and Steven battled in her mother’s hospital, still gem experiments either way. 

“Oh, no.” The gem stomped towards her. She revealed her blade using one hand, still making her way to safer fighting grounds. Reasonably, the gem caught up to her before she could escape. 

_ Concentrate _ . The last time she went on a mission, she was unable to defeat the opponent on her own. Now, it was entirely up to her to fight or fly.

“ _ Ha! _ ” She tried to slash at a limb and missed. 

_ You're just not used to fighting in this place, _ Connie reassured herself.  _ You're not a bad swordsman. _

The gem screeched as they bent over and slammed down heavy feet, right on the spot Connie was a few seconds ago. They tried again, more accurately this time. Connie parried and used her momentum to cut off a limb. She succeeded, two feet being sliced clean off, and the fusion howled. Somehow, the pain wasn't enough to poof them. It  _ was _ enough to make them lose focus, though.

Her opponent became frenzied, their attacks becoming more wild than well aimed. Arms and legs swung at her and, along with the current, they weren’t easy to avoid.

_ Duck, duck, parry. Attack, counter, parry - lower left. Keep moving back! _

The gem threw a hit right to her face, but Connie slipped downward and countered with a hook movement. Her sword struck true. The blade connected and pro, the gem poofed with a final distressed argument. Con, the attack threw Connie off balance, the stick she used to stay upright being washed away with the river's flow. The cluster of gems fell into her hands as her back slammed into the remaining part of the rotted log. It finally collapsed, the remnants creating a loud  _ SNAP! _ before following the current.

Connie was unable to keep herself standing. It was a very dangerous gamble, but the knight tightened her grip on her sword and clutched the gem with the other hand right before she was submerged in water.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridot and Lapis begin their plans. Paths cross once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (a bit more spoilers than usual in this note! tread lightly)
> 
> I DON'T EVEN KNOW ANYMORE I'M JSUT TOO EXCITED FOR THE NEW CRYSTAL GEMS ITS THE TITLE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR SINCE LIKE NOVEMBER OHHHHH MY GODDDDDDDDDDD I CANNT BRATHEAAAEEEEEEEEEE  
> ,..,,ahem,.
> 
> On that note, uh, I don't know whether or not I'll continue this fanfic if the episode DOES turn out to be the three on Earth. If I do keep writing, I'll try to maintain a steady schedule for once, heh.
> 
> I'm a little lightheaded after seeing s4 e16's summary! Sorry if there're still mistakes in this,,
> 
> P.S. I'm free to talk in @weirdoughnut on Tumblr, though I may take time to reply. If u wanna scream w/ me abt thiS EPiSODE i will warn you i will not hold back
> 
> rip this is so short  
> Heh, enjoy anyway :p

“There's a movie pentalogy known as-” Peridot used air quotation marks. “ _‘Home Alone’._ ” She slowly paced back and forth, one hand behind her back and another waving around. “The title is somewhat inaccurate as the protagonist is _not_ ‘home alone’ entirely, though that's a critique for another day.”

Lapis was leaning on one of the wooden pillars, three DVD cases in her hands. On each was a child imitating _The Scream_. From what she could understand, the covers read, “HOME ALONe 1”, “HOME ALONe 2” and “HOME ALONe 4”. Why one of the “E”s were lower case, she didn't know.

“My reason for basing our defenses off of this series is simple: the human’s plans work! Fictional? Yes. Effective?” Peridot whipped around to Lapis, one finger pointing at the blue gem. “ _Yes._ Some of his ideas can be modified to fit our barn.”

Lapis nodded.

“I've been studying these _‘CD’_ s since Steven brought them here just for this situation! We’ll need paint cans, rope, greasy substances - engine oil should be fine…” She put a finger out for each item she listed. As she wandered around the barn, Veggie followed behind.

“Pfft. Peridot, you've got a tail.” Lapis walked over and picked up their lively pumpkin. Veggie purred, snuggling up to her.

Peridot looked over her shoulder, surprised. “Oh! Can't get enough of Peri, eh?” She laughed. “I don't blame ya!”

Veggie barked excitedly, hopping out of Lapis’s arms and around both of the gems.

“Where was I? The miniature lake outside can double as a trap!” Peridot shoved the doors open, circling the hole. Lapis and Veggie came up behind her.

The pumpkin dove into the water and popped out above. She closed her eyes. Seconds later, small seeds surfaced behind her.

Peridot sighed. “Oh, jeez.”

Lapis moved the seeds out using her hydrokinesis and dropped them in the grass. Veggie continued to enjoy their swim.

“We’ll need to create a surface of intertwined sticks and cover it with leaves! It should conceal this entirely.” Peridot rushed into the barn and came out with a large sheet of paper, a pencil and what appeared to be a plank ripped from the floor.

 _What's up with her and tearing things out today?_ the blue gem wondered.

“I can't find the clipboard…” She seemed to say that more to herself. “Lapis, I need you to fly overhead and record a map of our barn and its nearby surroundings. Preferably…” Peridot pointed to something in the distance. “There to there.” She gestured to another landmark opposite of the first. “Or, at the very least, a twenty-five kilometer radius from the barn.”

Lapis didn't quite catch how much she should get down, but nodded and took the items from Peridot anyway. “Okay.”

As her wings formed, she heard, “Veggie, let's gathe-” before a loud splash. Peridot wheezed and Veggie barked. Lapis chuckled and went airborne.

☆★☆

The blue gem had a quarter of the area down when she heard a crazed wail. Winged animals zoomed past her, all heading away from the forest.

Lapis narrowed her eyes, gliding metres over the treetops. Wind caressed her face and swept her hair back. Her shadow wheeled along the leaves below her, her waterwings’ a lighter shade than the rest of it. She stopped abruptly, seeing a glimpse of a gem fusion.

 _Mutant,_ she noted. She gazed to her left, instantly recognising the person in the river. Quickly, she dove into the forest, causing a squirrel to squeak and flee.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

Behind trees, Lapis stood by as the girl fought the beast in the river. The way she did it - as if she knew the sword and the way it worked - intimidated Lapis. Nevertheless, something familiar - _again_ \- about the stranger made the gem feel like she was important in some way. She tried to go as far back in her memories as possible, mostly anything _after_ Malachite. Lapis couldn’t recall.

And then, a pink blade swiped across the gem. The fusion poofed, the girl stumbled. Lapis’s old instincts kicked in, adding to the force of the current. She balled her free hand as she felt the liquid follow her lead, running faster and harder. The stranger was swept away without another sound.

 _Defeated_. The word echoed in her head.

Lapis had two choices: return to Peridot and tell her of their win _or_ go downstream. With seconds of thought, Lapis chose the first. Though, as an odd curiosity tugged at her as she was on her way home, the gem did a 180 and found herself gripping her writing tools. She returned to find the girl.

She knew the human, didn't she? But where from? Like she did the first time, Lapis tucked that thought away for later. It would only distract her.

 _Veggiehead, take care of Peri while I'm out_.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridot and Veggie head out due to a noise in the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, I plan on compiling every few short chapters into one for a lengthier chapter once this book has been finished. I aim for a better read and, hopefully, more fruitful summaries!

Peridot tossed the sticks in her hand into the basket that Veggie balanced on her head.

“The pit’s area would require approximately seven baskets - _if_ they hold as much as I estimated,” Peridot recited. “Yes, Veggie. _Estimated_ . There is no time to spare for calculations when there is a menace on the loose! Though,” Peridot said, looking sideways as she bent over, “she won’t pose much of a threat with _us_ around! Nyah, ha, ha, ha, ha!” She raised a stick victoriously.

Veggie laughed along with her. It was really just more energetic barking, but Peridot counted it as the same thing.

“Come on, let’s continue our search!” Peridot and Veggie looked under bushes, behind trees and in bodies of water. The gem fought the occasional harmless prey, hissing at any squirrel that decided to jump into her hair.

They managed to fill up five baskets. On their way back to empty out the sixth, the pumpkin slipped in mud and the green gem tripped over them.

“ _Pbbttbpt!_ ” Peridot got a face full of dirt. Veggiehead dropped the container, its contents falling out.

“Veggie!” She exclaimed, getting up only to stumble again.

“Veggie, wh-” Peridot was cut off by a faraway roar. The pumpkin whimpered, attempting to cover their ears. “Are your head holes sensitive to that? Aah!” she exclaimed, rushing to pick her companion up. With the pumpkin in her arms, Peridot ran into the barn and slammed the door shut, leaving the supplies behind.

The gem climbed the ladder and hurried to the corner. She sat down, making a muffled _thump_. She wrapped her shivering friend up in a cloth she found as the noise was made again.

“Darn amplified sense of hearing…” Peridot muttered. She cradled Veggie in her lap protectively.

There was a third screech, but it was cut short.

“What the…” Something in Peridot’s head clicked. “Did that come from…?” Still hugging Veggie, Peridot jumped down the ledge and jogged to the patched hole in the barn. She slipped past it. “Lapis?”

Veggie looked up at her, upset. She set her down and tossed the blanket behind her. She sniffed the air, a low growl escaping their throat.

“We need to investigate,” Peridot decided. “Veggie, let’s go check on Lapis!”

The pumpkin barked. The two came after their friend, ditching the initial plan.

 ☆★☆

“Lapis!” Peridot called. “Lapis Lazuli!”

The two roamed the forest, occasionally jumping at any wildlife.

Peridot sucked in a breath and screamed, “LAPIS _LA-AZULI-I-I!_ ” Veggie howled along.

Their voices managed to echo even through the foliage. A rabbit hopped out of a bush and Peridot yelped.

“Oh,” Peridot huffed, frowning. She dismissed the rabbit. "Which direction, Veggie?" she asked, feeling like a camper in Camp Pining Hearts.

She waited as her companion put her face to the ground. _How do they smell without a scent sponge?_

The pumpkin bolted straight ahead. Peridot barely kept up through the foliage.

The two ducked under black and yellow "stick strips". A few more minutes and they exited the forest and realised they came in a fenced area.

"What is the purpose of this? The Earth animals can come and go with ease and it did a _terrible_ job at preventing us from entering," Peridot viewed, gripping the metal fence and shaking it. It wiggled slightly. “Jeez.”

Veggie was already outside the enclosure, facing the river. Peridot jogged to them and squatted, peering into the water. She stared at Veggie unsurely.

The water ran its relaxed course. Leaves and other bits of nature rode along. A few of them were caught on the muddy riverbank. Peridot could see the reflection of the scenery.

“Is… there a problem, Veggie?” she queried.

Her friend spun around and jumped at the base of a tree, away from the river. She kept at it, yapping furiously.

“What? What is it?” The green gem scurried to the same tree, searching the bark for anything significant. Finally, she came to a stop at a small bit of the rind torn out here and there… as if someone punched it. It wasn't very obvious, most of the outer wood was still intact, but Peridot recognised the indent Lapis made in the tree. She almost made the same imprint on Peridot’s face once! Why  _wouldn't_ she be familiar to the impression?

“She’s been here.” Peridot touched the tree and looked to the river. Even if Lapis used it, there wouldn't be much use of the information. Still, it would have been reassuring to know Lapis had a quick weapon near her.

“We should follow the current!” she suggested, already crawling under the blockade. “With what we know, we can conclude Lapis was here some time ago and assume that she used the water against the source of the earlier ruckus.” She froze mid-stand, having second thoughts. “Uh, Veggie... Can you return to the barn?”

The pumpkin whimpered, her tail drooping.

“I-I know how much you care about Lapis and, um, and you’d prefer to come along… Aw, don't give me that look! You’re _very_ aware I… I…” Peridot sighed, looking anywhere but the pumpkin. She twiddled her thumbs. “I trust you with guard duty and… Veggie, I just want you to be safe.” She shuffled towards her and shyly opened her arms. “You're a significant part of my, you know, _family_ an-”

Veggie hurled herself at her, snuggling into her arms.

Peridot lost her voice for a moment. “Heh, thanks.” She wrapped her arms around her friend.

After a strong hug, they both let go.

“Stay safe, Veggiehead!” Peridot waved and the pair split ways. Veggie disappeared behind green leaves. Peridot crossed the fenced area, eyeing the stacked logs, and continued to follow downstream.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things settle down - for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the super late update! I barely had much time to work on this, much less get into the funky flow of the writing zone. But!! Huzzah! The trio is here!
> 
> I hope you've all had a great past two weeks!

River water tastes  _ awful _ . Of course, given her current situation, pun intended, this wasn't Connie’s biggest concern.

She felt her sword scrape against a stone to her right. The cluster of gems dug into her chest as she kept a firm hold on them. Unable to hold her breath any longer, she pushed her head back and resurfaced -  _ finally _ . Gulps of fresh air in the place of water with “surprises” in it was an upgrade. Now, she needed to get out of here.

Connie was still being pushed by the stream, though she was able to recognise the lack of strength compared to the wave that brought her to the undercurrent. Yes, deep water usually meant a weaker shove, but this flow seemed  _ way _ too soft. What was up with that?

Lost in her own thoughts, the girl failed to notice the pulsing glow of the dormant gem in her hands.

_ The fusion. _ It snapped her back to reality.  _ Don't panic, stay calm. Don't panic, stay calm.  _

She replayed those words in her head. 

She couldn’t breathe.

_ Don’t panic _ . If she sank, the water above her would be too heavy.

_ Stay calm. _ She would drown.

_ No, no. Concentrate.  _ She floated on her back and cleared her thoughts. Slowly but surely, she kicked her feet and closed the distance between her and land. She adjusted her sword so there was less drag against it. Before she knew it, Connie was throwing the gems and her weapon on solid ground and was pulling herself up.

She coughed. Wind walked by and she shivered, hugging her arms. Her wet clothes uncomfortably clung to her body. The river was pretty warm - maybe she should have cut through the forest instead.

No. Being cold was better than being lost. Connie did her best to dry herself off and drain her shoes of water before retrieving her items. As she reached for the gem experiment, it levitated and produced a bright light.

“Oh, no…” Connie backed away, trying to steady herself. Not now - she was too tired to deal with the gem! Not to mention the pressure of Steven trusting her with this…

_ Shoot, shoot! _ Before Connie could duck behind the vegetation, the gem reformed. They landed and the ground seemed to tremble.

“ _ SCREE!”  _ Their voice was enough to make ears bleed. Lucky for Connie, that was just a hyperbole.

She kept silent as she inched away, the fusion’s back still turned to her. She successfully got to the bushes before the gem decided to chase a butterfly and spotted her. She could feel their awareness of her pin her down. Just like her last mission with Pearl, Connie was frozen in spot. Without confidence, she held her blade in front of her, sweaty and water-soaked palms on its grip.

They started toward her, appendages waving. Connie could hear the dozens of voices merging into one, incoherent noise. It was a terrible thing to zero in on.

Her knees wobbled and her arms felt sore. She couldn’t make any words come out; no matter in that. Speaking wouldn’t have done much anyway.

Five feet away now and Connie was visibly shaking. She tried to come up with a mental game plan, but there wasn’t much improvisation she could do with so little stamina.

_ Plenty of openings for both sides… _ She leveled herself and, in Pearls voice, thought,  _ Keep your stance wide; keep your body lowered. _

Connie held her sword in front of her. The fusion charged and she was unable to suppress a flinch.

The attack never came.

Water rushed. She opened her eyes and saw a wall of murky liquid in front of her. She gasped and looked up to see a giant fist at the end. Within the fist was the gem she fought. It screeched, steadily increasing in pitch, and poofed. The hand opened and the arm of water sunk into the river. Connie was too shocked to notice the falling crystal until it was secure in a blue gem’s hands.

The two made eye contact. There was a long pause. If it wasn't for the wind nature around them, it would have been dead quiet.

“Lap-?” Connie croaked. She cleared her throat. “Lapis?”

The gem narrowed her eyes. “Who are you and why do you know my name?”

The girl relaxed against a tree, exhausted. “I’m the human girl who tried to stop you from stealing the ocean. You nearly, uh, drowned me? And wrecked Mr. Universe’s van.”

Lapis rolled her eyes. “Eh, no new news.” She tilted her head to the side. “But... is that why…” She gave Connie a once-over. “Huh.”

“What?” Connie felt slightly defensive towards Lapis.

“Nothing. Um… ‘Sorry' for trying to kill you.”

Connie laughed. “Don’t worry about it.”

Lapis glared. “What's so funny?”

“No, no! I laughed because… I mean, no one really apologises for killing me. It’s just new, that's all.”

Lapis’s posture slackened. “Oh. Okay.”

There were a good five seconds of awkward silence before, “Thanks for poofing them for me.”

“Ah.” The gem shifted her stare to the gem in her palm. “No prob-”

“ _ Lapis! _ ” Someone across the river waved their arms. “Lapis, it’s me, Peridot!” Peridot drew her arms back, hissing. “Is that the human? Don’t worry, Lapis! I’ll save you!”

“No, Peridot, it-” Lapis started. It was half a second too late. Peridot had already taken a running start to the river. She appeared to attempt a jump across the entire length of it, but she lacked momentum. The gem created an awkward splash, face down, and remained on the surface of the water for a few seconds before sinking. Peridot slowly went along the river, thrashing. Bubbles rose around her downturned face.

Nonchalantly, almost exasperatedly, Lapis flicked her wrist towards herself. A burst of water hurled Peridot at the two on the riverbank. Lapis extended an arm just as Peridot’s feet touched the ground, steadying the green gem by poking her forward. Peridot spat out a mouthful of water.

“See? I… I  _ told _  you I’d save ya!” Peridot swivelled her head to Connie. “Fear me, imb-” Her eyes widened. Now she fully faced the human girl. “Wait a minute… Do I know you?”

“Uh, maybe?” Connie responded. “I mean, I know  _ you _ . I don’t know if it’s the same way around.”

“Hm…” Peridot scrutinized her. “Now that I have a better view of you, your features... ‘ring a bell’.”

“Huh.” Connie didn’t know how to reply to that. “That’s… good.”

“Human, what is your name?” Peridot demanded.

“Uh-” She stood straight. “Connie!”

“ _ Aha! _ You  _ are _ Steven’s friend!” Peridot exclaimed. “I should’ve known…” Her face fell. “Oh, no. I  _ should _ have known! Lapis, we spent so much time trying to prep the barn from an imaginary threat that we forgot to watch over Beach City!”

“Wait, you’re guarding Beach City, too?” Connie asked.

“Well,  _ duh _ ,” Peridot scoffed. “We’re pretty responsible, right, Lapis?” Just as she gave Lapis a sidelong glance, the gem once again began to glow. Peridot let out an odd sound, half-squeak, half-gasp, and grabbed the fusion. Almost instantly, the cluster of gems were encased in a translucent green sphere. Peridot tapped the top and the three followed the disappearing bubble with their eyes.

“Wow!” Connie said. “I’ve never seen a green bubble before!” Peridot looked pleased. Lapis had a small smirk on her face.

Peridot put a hand on her chest. “Of course! I’m an _intensely_ unique gem.” At this, Lapis snorted, but if she had any thoughts, she didn’t contribute them to the conversation. “Anyway, we should head back to the barn to resume our duties.” Peridot whirled around on her heel and started off, Lapis right behind her.

“Oh!” Connie threw the flat end of her blade over her shoulder, jogging to catch up. “I was just headed there!”

The two gems stopped to eye at her over their shoulders. They shared a look.

“Um…” Peridot frowned. “Why?”

“I didn’t know you two didn’t come along, so I wanted to secure your barn, too!” Connie tried her best not to wither under the attention she got.

“Ah, no need, then!” Peridot assured. “We have it under control! You can return to wherever you came from.” She waved a green hand. “Don’t worry about it.”

Connie was taken aback by her bluntness. “What?”

“Right! Wow, thanks for trying to assist us, but we can take it from here.”

“No way! Steven asked me to protect Beach City while he’s gone! I’m not leaving until he comes back!”

Confusion was etched on Peridot’s face. Behind her, Lapis scowled. Grey clouds began to form overhead. The river hastened its pace and became a little louder. No matter how much noise it made, though, Connie could still hear her heart beating against her chest from the tension.

“We  _ don’t need _ your help,” Lapis growled.

“And what if you do?” Connie challenged.

Peridot raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve only been on Earth for around a year - I’ve lived here my whole life!” she reasoned. “There’s a good chance you’ll need my help with Earth things sooner or later.”

“Huh…” Peridot considered, scratching her bottom lip with a finger. “The human, ‘Connie’, proves a point, Lazuli.”

“Mm?” The sky cleared up ever-so-slightly as Lapis turned her head to Peridot.

“We may have learned about rain and snow-” At the mention of snow, Lapis pushed a corner of her mouth back, eyebrows scrunched as if an unwanted memory came to mind. “-and how stuff on Earth works, but that’s not everything! We might need some human-specific knowledge that can easily be obtained through her!” Peridot looked at Connie, expression friendly. “Like ‘Dad’!”

“Uh, ‘Dad’?” Connie asked.

“Oh. Okay,” Lapis said. Overhead, the weather returned to its earlier state. The river eventually calmed. “Peridot?”

“Yes?”

Lapis appeared impassive, but her eyes hinted at a concerned confusion. “Where’s Veggiehead?”

“She’s back at the barn! Why?”

“Did you get to setting up traps?”

Peridot went bug-eyed. “Oh, my stars!” Immediately, she was airborne, Lapis scooping her up and pushing off the ground.

“Hey!” Connie, full speed, sprinted after them. “Wait!”

“Ah, Lapis! Connie!” Peridot remembered. Lapis, all in one smooth motion, wheeled around, tossed Peridot ahead of her and grabbed Connie by her arms. As she went back on-course, Peridot, who looked professional doing a mid-air flip, was sitting soundly on Lapis’s back, hands-free. Connie got the feeling that that wasn’t the first time they tried that.

“That…” Connie breathed in, adrenaline pumping through her. “Was incredible!”

“I know! Veggiehead’s usually in your place, so I admit I’m impressed that went as well as it did! Good job, Lapis!”

“Heh.” A miniature smile danced on Lapis’s lips. “Thanks.”

“No problem!”

Connie wondered how odd they looked: three people in the sky. One held a large, pink sword, another carrying the two with wings made of water on her back, the last happily riding along. They stuck out like a sore thumb.

She took in the scene below her. The sun was closer to the horizon, probably three hours until it set, give or take a few minutes. Shadows stretched yet the land managed to keep a welcoming aura. Air lightly brushed her face.

Maybe this wouldn't end up  _ too _ bad.


End file.
